DE S TI N ATION INSPIRATION
THE BEST ART HOTELS BY HE ATHER RICHA RDSON With enviable collections to rival many galleries, these art hotels offer the chance to combine luxury accommodation with a passion for art.
21 NETTLETON, CAPE TOWN
More like a home than a hotel, 21 Nettleton is one of Cape Town’s newest luxury retreats. Situated on a clifftop overlooking the ocean, this grand house of four suites is instantly welcoming and it’s not uncommon to find the owner, Hugo, enjoying a glass of wine by the fire in the living room. Two grand pianos reside in the house, alongside an art collection that includes local and international pieces. Amongst many other artists, there are several François Krige (1913-1994) paintings, a Post-Impressionist South African artist, whose paintings and drawings studied the people, flora and fauna of southern Africa. The general manager, Elodye, is an art expert from Paris, and the perfect person to show you around the house.
VIÑA VIK, CHILEAN WINE REGION
Each of the 22 bedrooms in this new, arty vineyard hotel have been designed by mostly South American artists, each given free rein to decorate the rooms exactly as they wish. The bathroom of the Hermès suite (known as the H Suite) is covered in fashion photographs of female models and the Louis Louis suite features striking art depicting a sullen, war-torn Europe, contrasting with the idyllic, rolling hills outside.